Never Give Up

Chapter Nine

The seventh of February was the day that Fred and Hermione moved into their small apartment that was soon to be a home for themselves and their child. Hermione hadn’t seen the apartment as of yet since Fred wanted it to be a surprise for her and he had been working on it for quite a number of hours everyday. When they apparated into the apartment her sight was met with a couple of boxes piled up in the hall way alone,, these must be the ones that Fred hadn’t had a chance to unpack yet.  

‘The kitchen is right down the corridor there,’ Fred muttered and led her behind him. He looked really tired, Hermione noticed but she guessed he had a right to be. Fred had been working extra all this week and would the next weeks to pay the rent and he was also busy getting the apartment ready for her. He didn't come to Harry’s house last night like he usually does to see Hermione, instead he had been in the apartment setting the furniture. Hermione grasped his hand tighter, thankful to have him in her life and she frowned a little as Fred yawned loudly.

They got to the kitchen and Hermione peered in after a small glance at him whereupon he smiled at her reassuringly. Hermione smiled as she looked around. The kitchen walls had been painted, no doubt by Fred, a light blue colour. There was a fridge and a cooker and some black counters that looked completely brand new. There was also a small wooden table in the corner with three chairs around it and the curtains were a lovely shade of blue too. Hermione turned and then explored the rest of the house. In front of the kitchen was a small and simple bathroom had also been painted and Hermione found herself wondering how long it took Fred to do all of this. The living room had a basic sofa and the TV that Hermione owned. The good thing was that Fred had moved his furniture out of his apartment since Draco didn't own it. The television was set up against a wall and there was a small table between the sofa and the TV. The whole room was a rich red colour and Hermione leaned against Fred as he smiled down at her.

‘I don’t know how to thank you for all of this, Fred,’ Hermione whispered and she looked into his eyes. It was as though Fred judged the quality of everything in the room according to how much Hermione liked it.

‘There’s two bedroom,’ Fred muttered low in her ear and the tone of his voice made Hermione blush. Fred chuckled as he kissed her neck, ‘want to see ours?’

Hermione let out a giggle and felt a sharp kick in her stomach. She ignored it but rubbed her stomach which usually calmed the baby. Hermione and Fred went down the hall and across a little bend as the apartment was in an L-shape. The first room she saw was completely empty and she guessed this was the baby’s room. They would have to get furniture soon and she couldn't wait to go shopping. Hermione was about to leave the room but Fred stopped her.

‘What?’ she asked.

‘Percy bought us a little gift,’ Fred muttered and once more he opened the door to the baby’s room.

Hermione, a little confused, peered into the room but still saw nothing but a sea of emptiness. Fred sighed and his hands went around her hips. He manoeuvred her forwards a little and turned her around. Behind the door was a cot. A baby’s cot.

‘It is absolutely beautiful!’ Hermione whispered and before she could stop it, tears ran down her face. She stretched out her hand and touched the long wood of the cot. It was a pure white cot with a little teddy bear taking residence in the corner. There were little flowers around the sheets. Everything sunk into Hermione. A real baby was going to lay in that cot and she would be looking down at it with Fred right beside her. She would be consoling it and loving it... Hermione turned to Fred and kissed him full on the mouth.

‘Remind me to thank Percy, will you?’ Fred panted a little out of breath after their kiss. Hermione chuckled and bought him down to her once again.